Elastic type exercising device

ABSTRACT

A modality construction comprising a pad having a core formed of yieldable material enclosed within an envelope or cover to one side of which is secured a pair of parallel, spaced apart, elastic mounting straps to enable the pad to be secured to any desired portion of a person&#39;&#39;s body. Between the mounting straps, and parallel thereto, is secured a non-elastic force transmitting strap having means at its opposite ends for connection to an anchor device which may be secured directly to an immovable object or, if preferred, secured to the immovable object through the intermediary of a spring.

United States Patent Kanicki [54] ELASTIC TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE [72] Inventor: Walter J. Kanicki, 2011 Third St., Bay

City, Mich. 48706 [22] Filed: Oct. 29, 1970 [21] AppLNo; 85,117

[52] U.S. Cl. ..272/80, 272/83 R, 272/79 R,

2/24, 272/DIG. 4 [51] Int. Cl ..A63b 23/04, A63b 21/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..272/80, 83 R,82, 79 R,57 R;

2,274,574 2/1942 Zerne r ..272/57 R 2,966,905 1/1961 Kamenshine. .128/25 R 3,117,786 1/1964 Anderson ..2/16 X [451 May 2,1972

Zirves ..2/24 Lutz [57] ABSTRACT A modality construction comprising a pad having a core formed of yieldable material enclosed within an envelope or cover to one side of which is secured a pair of parallel, spaced apart, elastic mounting straps to enable the pad to be secured to any desired portion ofa persons body. Between the mounting straps, and parallel thereto, is secured a non-elastic force transmitting strap having means at its opposite ends for connection to an anchor device which may be secured directly to an immovable object or, if preferred, secured to the immovable object through the intermediary of a spring.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 3 Sheet-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WALTER J. KANICKI Patented May 2, 1972 3 Sheet-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WALTER J. KANICKI Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,846

3 Sheet-Sheet 3 0 I O o o o o l8 6 J 1 x o o o o 7 9 FIG. 6 '1 mvsw'roa WALTER J. KANICKI ELASTIC TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE The invention disclosed herein relates to a therapeutic modality of the kind adapted to be applied to a desired portion of a persons body to enable such body portion to be subjected to isometric, isotonic, or both, treatments. The modality is particularly useful in prophylactic and rehabilitative conditioning of the skeletal musculature of athletes so as respectively to guard against or assist in repairing injuries.

Injuries to athletes unfortunately are all too common. Hardly ever does a football team escape injury to a players knee knee during a football game and seldom, if ever, does a baseball season pass without some prominent pitcher being handicapped by soreness, usually at the elbow, of his pitching arm. When such injuries occur the athlete is subjected to therapeutic treatments which are aimed primarily at developing strength in the muscles responsible for flexion and extension. It appears that little consideration has been given to the fact that the joint mechanism of a knee or an elbow undergoes a degree of internal rotation during the functioning thereof. It is believed that many of the injuries suffered by athletes are due to the abnormal degree of rotation of the joint mechanism. Accordingly, rehabilitation of an injured joint should be directed to the development of the musculature which resists such rotation. Although rehabilitation of an injured joint is of great importance, it is considered that it is even more important to prevent such injuries. Accordingly, the utilization of a modality which enables an athlete to strengthen the joint stabilizing mechanisms prior to their being injured should result in fewer and less serious injuries.

An object of this invention is to provide a modality construction which may be applied to a selected portion of a persons body and which enables forces to be applied to and released from that portion of the body which it is desired to precondition or rehabilitate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a modality of the character referred to and which enables the therapeutic procedures to be applied to the persons body under conditions which simulate the stress under which the particular body portion will be required to function.

A further object of the invention is to provide a modality which enables isometric, isotonic, or both, procedures to be applied to a person s body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a modality which easily may be applied to any selected portion of a person's body and which may be adjusted thereon so as to enable the angle of resistance or force that is applied to the body to be varied at will.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out specifically or become apparent from the following description when it is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a modality constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the modality applied to the leg of a person in the standard adduction position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the modality applied in the standard flexion position;

FIG. 5 is a similar view, but illustrating the modality applied in the standard abduction position;

FIG. 6 is a similar view, but illustrating the modality applied in the standard hyperextension position; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a modified embodiment.

A modality constructed in accordance with the invention comprises a pad 1 composed of a core 2 of yieldable, resilient material such as vinyl-coated, slow reacting sponge rubber of the kind used in knee pads worn by football players. The core may be inch to 1 inch in thickness, 5% inches in length, and 4 inches wide. The core preferably is enclosed wholly within an envelope 3 of vinyl-coated, washable canvas material which preferably is 9 inches square. Since the envelope 3 is larger than the core 2, the envelope projects beyond all sides of the core so as to provide confronting extensions or edges 4 which may be stitched or otherwise secured to one another.

To one side of the envelope 3 at one end thereof is stitched or otherwise fixed an attaching strap 5 which preferably is formed of elastic material about 1 inch wide and about 28 inches long. At one end of the strap 5 is a buckle 6. Secured to the opposite end of the envelope 3, and on the same side thereof, is a strap 5a similar in all respects to the strap 5 and having fixed at one of its ends a buckle 6a similar to the buckle 6.

A force transmitting strap 7 is stitched or otherwise fixed to the envelope 3 midway between and parallel to the straps 5 and 5a. The strap 7 is non-elastic and is secured to the same side of the envelope as the straps 5 and 5a. The strap preferably is about 1% inches wide and between 18 and 20 inches long. Secured to each end of the strap 7 is a pair of D or 0 rings 8 so as to enable anchor means 9 to be secured to the opposite ends of the strap 7.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the anchor means 9 comprises a non-elastic coupling strap 10 having one or more D or 0 rings 11 secured thereto between its ends and on which is mounted an S-shaped coupling 12. The coupling 12 is adapted to be secured to one end of a coiled tension spring 13, the opposite end of which may be secured to a ring 14 fixed to a non-elastic anchor strap 15 which may be tied about any stationary object. Alternatively, the spring 13 may be omitted and the S coupling 12 coupled directly to the ring 14 of the strap 15.

As is shown in FIG. 7, the spring 13 of the anchor means 9 may be replaced by a multiple spring unit 16 comprising a pair of T bars 17 between which a plurality of coiled tension springs 18 may be secured. One of the bars 17 has an arm 19 which may be secured to the coupling 12 and the other bar has a similar arm 19 which may be secured to the ring 14 of the strap 15. Any one or more of the springs 18 may be removed to vary the force to be applied through the unit 16.

Although the modality may be applied to any part of a persons body, it is illustrated in FIGS. 3-6 as being applied to a person s leg so as to enable isotonic contractions to be applied to the knee. When applying the modality to the knee, the attaching straps 5 and 5a encircle the persons leg and are buckled under tension, as is permitted by the elasticity of the straps, so as to secure the pad I in such position on the leg that the strap 7 overlies directly the knee joint. The ends of the strap 7 then may be coupled to the ends of the strap 10. If the contractions to be applied to the knee are isotonic in nature, the spring 13 or the spring unit 16 will be connected between the harness strap 10 and the anchor strap 15 with the latter being secured to any stationary object, such as a radiator pipe 20 or the like.

When the modality is to be used to impart isotonic contractions to the knee in the standard adduction position thereof, as is indicated in FIG. 3, the core 2 of the pad 1 wiil overlie the inside of the knee, the strap 7 will overlie the knee joint, and the coupling means 9 initially will be taut, but not stretched. The patients toe will be at right angles to the force to be applied to the knee, the foot will be flat on the floor, and the knee will be flexed slightly. The knee then may be adducted by rotating it medially as it simultaneously is moved away from and toward the fixed object 20 so as to stretch and relax, respectively, the spring 13.

FIG. 4 illustrates the modality applied to the patients knee in such manner as to impart isotonic contractions in the standard flexion position. To move the modality from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4 it is necessary only to rotate the modality, as is permitted by the elasticity of the straps 5 and 5a, to such position that the core 2 overlies the patients kneecap and the strap 7 directly overlies the knee joint. The patient then may flex his knee by raising and lowering his heel, while maintaining the ball of his foot on the floor.

FIG. 5 illustrates the modality applied to the patients knee in the standard abduction position and to which position the modality may be rotated as is permitted by the elasticity of the straps 5 and 5a.

FIG. 6 illustrates the modality applied to the patients knee in the standard hyperextension position and to which the modality may be rotated in the same manner described earlier.

Although only four standard positions spaced 90 apart have been illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that the modality may be applied to the knee at any desired position between the standard positions.

If it is desired to subject the knee to isometric muscle contractions, rather than isotonic contractions, the spring 9 or the spring unit 16 may be removed, whereupon the coupling harness 10 may be secured directly to the anchor strap 15 so as to result in a non-elastic connection between the modality and the fixed object 20.

As a result of the ability of the modality to permit both isometric and isotonic forces to be applied to a joint mechanism under conditions simulating the actual use of the joint, thereby enabling rotation of the joint during treatment, a considerably more complete strengthening and toning of the musculature and other stabilizing mechanisms may be achieved, thereby not only facilitating rehabilitation of an injured joint, but strengthening the joint so as to minimize injuries to which it otherwise would be susceptible.

The disclosed embodiment is representative of a presently preferred form of the invention but is intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

lclaim:

l. A modality construction comprising a yieldable pad; a pair of parallel attaching straps secured to said pad at its opposite ends; means on said straps for securing said pad on a limb of a person; a force transmitting means secured to said pad at a location between to said attaching straps for transmitting forces developed in said pad during an exercise pro gram; and anchor means at opposite ends of said force transmitting means for securing the force transmitting means to a stationary object to offer resistance to the elongation of the force transmitting means during an exercise program.

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said attaching straps are elastic.

3. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said force transmitting means comprises a force transmitting strap that is non-elastic.

4. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said attaching means comprises a non-elastic strap and said force transmitting strap is non-elastic.

5. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said anchor means includes a strap having its opposite ends secured to the ends of said force transmitting means and having coupling means between its ends.

6. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a spring.

7. The construction set forth in claim I wherein said coupling means includes a plurality of springs.

8. The construction set forth in claim 7 wherein any one or more of said plurality of springs may be removed.

9. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said pad comprises a core of resilient material wholly contained within an envelope.

10. The construction set forth in claim 9 wherein said envelope extends beyond the opposite ends of said core to form extensions and wherein said attaching straps are secured to said extensions.

11. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein both of said straps and said force transmitting means are on one side of said pad. 

1. A modality construction comprising a yieldable pad; a pair of parallel attaching straps secured to said pad at its opposite ends; means on said straps for securing said pad on a limb of a person; a force transmitting means secured to said pad at a location between to said attaching straps for transmitting forces developed in said pad during an exercise program; and anchor means at opposite ends of said force transmitting means for securing the force transmitting means to a stationary object to offer resistance to the elongation of the force transmitting means during an exercise program.
 2. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said attaching straps are elastic.
 3. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said force transmitting means comprises a force transmitting strap that is non-elastic.
 4. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said attaching means comprises a non-elastic strap and said force transmitting strap is non-elastic.
 5. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said anchor means includes a strap having its opposite ends secured to the ends of said force transmitting means and having coupling means between its ends.
 6. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a spring.
 7. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a plurality of springs.
 8. The construction set forth in claim 7 wherein any one or more of said plurality of springs may be removed.
 9. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said pad comprises a core of resilient material wholly contained within an envelope.
 10. The construction set forth in claim 9 wherein said envelope extends beyond the opposite ends of said core to form extensions and wherein said attaching straps are secured to said extensions.
 11. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein both of said straps and said force transmitting means are on one side of said pad. 